


Before Dawn

by twistedrunes



Series: George [25]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Behavior, F/M, Feelings, Grinding, Past Abuse, Period-Typical Racism, Slurs, Smut, fluff?, more smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 21:34:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17753879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twistedrunes/pseuds/twistedrunes
Summary: In the aftermath of the disaster with Arthur in Tommy's office, Tommy comes to be with Anna at the betting shop.





	Before Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone a new chapter is finally here. I start back at Uni tomorrow and wanted to get one more chapter out before I have to crawl under a rock. I'm hoping to continue with this story but updates may be a little sparse.

Tommy’s hands are on your hips as soon as you open the door, bundling you back inside, kicking the door closed behind him. You’re immediately struck by the intensity in his eyes, wide and slightly wild. As you back up against the wall he pauses, assessing you, eyes roaming your face, settling in the middle of your forehead. His jaw tenses, he pales slightly and he swallows hard. Watching him you recognise the expression from bad nights when he’s seeing things that aren’t really there. If your guess is correct he’s seeing a perfectly formed bullet hole in the middle of your forehead. He closes his eyes as he lifts his hands to your neck, using your jaw to tilt your head down and pressing a tender kiss on your forehead. He hums softly as your hands slip into his overcoat and rest on his hips. He reaches up and pulls his cap off, shoving it deep within the pocket of his overcoat.

As he pulls back, you bring your hands to his chest, rising up on your toes you graze your lips against his. Meeting his eye you give him a soft smile before kissing him again, slightly firmer this time. Silently reminding him that you’re alright. That you’re here, in this moment, with him.  Under your hands, you feel Tommy’s chest rise and fall. Your kiss deepens becoming firmer, Tommy's hands cup your cheeks and he parts his lips, quickly the kiss becomes more frantic. It’s ferocious, dragging the air from your lungs and leaving you gasping when he finally releases you.

Heart pounding you slip out of Tommy’s grasp and slide the bolts of the betting shop door home. Tommy paws at your hip, turning you to face him. He takes your chin in his hand, caressing your swollen lips with his thumb as he steps closer. He ducks his head to kiss your neck, sucking the flesh into his mouth, teeth pressing just hard enough to send a thrill through you. Your mouth falls open as you draw shaky breath, the tip of Tommy’s thumb bumping against your tongue. He groans as your lips close around it and you draw it into your mouth. Tommy lifts his head, eyes blazing as he pushes his body up against yours, trapping you between him and the door.

Still, there are no words between you, nothing needed to explain or guide your actions. Tommy grinds against you, cock already firm and reaching out for you. Burying his hand into your hair, his lips are on yours again. Tongue slipping between them as his other hand slides down from your hip to your thigh, coaxing your leg up so your knee is resting above his hip. The movement tilts your pelvis and his hardness brushes against you. Groaning, you tighten your leg pulling him harder against you, rocking as you pull your skirt up to your hips.

Grabbing your ass, Tommy moves you up the door, leaning into you with his hips. Your kisses become sloppier, sucking on each other’s lips and tongues.  The sensation is delicious, you were so close before Arthur arrived in Tommy’s office earlier and now, coming down from that adrenaline high, you were teetering on the edge already. Frantically, you work your hand between you, unable to resist feeling his fullness. Tommy’s rhythm stutters slightly, and he moans into your mouth. You continue stroking him before your own need returns and you begin to fumble with the buttons of his fly.

Tommy’s catches your wrist and he shakes his head, devilment dancing on his face. Humming in disappointment you watch Tommy’s eyes blaze as he lifts your hand above your head, pressing the back of it to the door and holding it in place. Tommy smirks as your breath catches, his teeth dragging over his bottom lip. He places his free hand in the back of your knee and adjusts you so you’re grinding against him at the perfect angle.  Your mouth hangs open as you pant, aware of his length hardening and growing, your eyes flutter closed as you lose yourself in the feeling, balling the fabric of his lapel in your fist.

Beginning to come undone you struggle against Tommy’s restraint. Tommy loosens his grip and allows your hand to fall. You bring it to his chest, stroking over the cool cotton, and then over the rougher texture of his tie, working up to the knot and loosening it.  Tommy rests his brow against yours, brushing your nose with his, silently urging you to meet his gaze again. Tommy hums approvingly as you do, his fingers gliding along your jaw. He swallows hard, thumb tugging on your lower lip. The tightness in your stomach becomes nearly unbearable, a hot ball of tension needing release. You lick your lips, tongue grazing the pad of his thumb and feel your heart miss a beat as he pushes the digit further inside.  You suckle on it greedily. Tommy intermittently rubs it over your lips, smearing your lipstick, his cock getting harder each time. Your rocking becomes more fevered and you tug on his coat and dig your nails into the back of his neck.

Tommy responds by grabbing your ass pulling you against him, your legs wrap around his waist instinctively. You squirm, trying desperately to reach release. The tension of the last few hours unbearable, you whimper. Tommy’s eyes sweep your face, a look, somewhere between tenderness and feral lust passes behind them. You nod in response to his unasked question, barely able to contain yourself.

“Cum,” he commands.

And you do. Your voice breaks as you let out a strangled cry. Tommy kisses you, sloppy frenetic kisses down into the crook of your neck, a shuddering breath over the burning flesh before he bites you, timing it perfectly with your peak.

You’re not prepared for the strength of the orgasm that consumes you, falling through an infinity of light, body throbbing and heart pounding in your ears. You shake and gasp and moan. Tommy breathes gentle praises in your ear, as he continues to rock against you, slowing as you come down. He soothes you, bringing you back, a tender kiss on the smarting flesh where he’s bitten you, stroking your hair back off your sweaty brow and slowly lowering your legs.  His hands stay on your hips, steadying you and making sure you’re stable on your feet. You lean against him allowing him to support you, resting your head against his chest as you regain your breath. Tommy holds you close, tucking your head under his chin and caressing his fingers over the nape of your neck.

A soft smile on your face, you tip your head back to look at him. His face a mixture of lust, wonder and darkness. The darkness familiar something you've seen before, after a nightmare, a kind of repressed grief. “Let’s go to bed.” You suggest quietly, suspecting what Tommy needs is to lose himself for a few hours.

An evil smile flashes over Tommy’s face, momentarily breaking through the darkness. “Oh, I’m not ready for bed yet.” He growls before kissing you.

“I wasn’t suggesting we sleep.” You purr, stroking his face, in a more overt attempt to get him upstairs. Taking his hand in your own you take a few steps towards the stairs. Tommy follows until you reach the bottom step where he stands fast, stopping you short. “Come upstairs.”  You repeat as you step back up onto the first tread before wrapping your arms over his shoulders. “Come on,” you suggest kissing the warm skin above his collar.

Tommy unwraps you from his neck “Let me make sure everything is secure.” He says, kissing your nose.

“I’ve already checked.”

Tommy nods but steps away, hanging his coat by the door before turning towards the main body of the shop. Resigned and with your legs still wobbly you sink down onto the step. Closing your eyes you can follow the sound of him moving around the space, the soft rattle of the windows being tested, and the metallic clunk of the safe door resisting his attempts to open it.

Closing the door that separates the shop from the house Tommy pushes the bolts home. He raises his eyebrows at you with a bemused smile, looking down at you on the step, elbows on knees, with your chin cupped in your palms. You pout in response. He leans down, placing his hands either side of you, and kisses you. “Are you sulking?” He teases.

“Hmmf” you huff turning your face away.

Tommy nuzzles below your ear “Or do you need a few minutes to recover.” He chuckles, nipping your lobe.

“Recover?” You snort as if you had no idea what you could need to recover from. Knowing full well that any question of Tommy’s ability to satisfy would result in hours of him proving just how satisfied you could be. Putting your hands on the landing behind you, you lift yourself up and out of Tommy’s reach.

Tommy groans as if deeply wounded by your comment and buries his face into your lap, dropping to his knees. Lifting his head he meets your eye, “Better fix that then ‘ey” he says, face deadpan.

“Yeah, you better.” You shoot back flirtatiously, glad to see Tommy seems to have relaxed. You reach up for the handrail and begin to pull yourself up.

Tommy grabs your waist and pulls you back down. Your face wrinkles in confusion. Tommy slowly slides your dress up your thighs as he leans over you. “I told you, I’m not ready for bed.”  His hand runs up your side, slowly kneading your breast before stopping on your throat, caressing the skin lightly with his fingertips.

Your body reacts instantly and you groan. Tommy pauses to mouth your breasts, teasing your nipple with his teeth for a moment before carrying down further, fingers digging into the flesh of your hips as you squirm beneath him. His lips brush over your thighs, quickly becoming deep sucking kisses. You writhe under his touch, whimpering a little as your back arches and fingers tug at his hair to guide him towards your centre.

Eagerly he buries his face between your legs, inhaling deeply. He kisses you through your panties and you moan his name. Tommy stops. You grunt in irritation and tug at his hair. “Tommy,” you repeat. Tommy straightens and strokes his fingers down your arm, again a haunted look passes over his face. He shakes his head as if trying to dislodge it. “Tommy?” you ask, sitting up. Tommy closes his eyes and shakes his head as he brings his hand to your cheek, you relax into it and allow him to bring your mouth to his.

He pauses, opening his eyes as your lips touch. “I can’t do this without you.” He rasps.

“Everything is going to be alright Tommy.” You assure him, your hand coming to his face and drawing it the final distance to your lips. “The plan is in place, it’s going to work. Changretta and the Mafia will be dealt with. We’ll send a message to every organisation in the fucking world never to come for us. They’ll all know not to fuck with the Peaky Blinders.” You hold Tommy’s gaze fiercely. “We’re going to be alright.”

Tommy shakes his head slightly, grasping your face in his hands. “You, Charlie, the family, that’s all that matters.” He kisses you, it’s long and needy, but the fire and lust are no longer there. Tommy sits on the landing next to you, he takes your hand in his, again watching you closely. “I nearly fucking lost you tonight. Again! Fuck, a few inches lower,” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “If Arthur hadn’t been so upset, drunk.” He shakes his head “FUCK!” he yells at the ceiling, although you suspect it’s directed higher. He remains that way even after the anguish robs the voice from his throat.  

Shuffling closer you press against Tommy’s side, “Tommy,” you murmur against his cheek. Tommy doesn’t move or look at you. “Tommy, look at me.” Tommy’s eyes remain closed. “Tommy,” you whisper, bumping your nose against his jaw. Still, he remains motionless. “Tommy,” you insist. Reaching across him you take his hand and place it on your knee, the result turning his body towards you. His eyes remain closed and slide your arm under his, tucking yourself under it so you can wrap your arm around his waist. You place your head on his shoulder and look at him, weaving your fingers between his. “I’m still here Tommy,” you remind him. Tommy flinches. You remain still. Tommy takes another deep breath and slowly leans into you, softening he moulds himself around you, forehead resting against your collarbone, arms wrapped around your waist.  

Dropping your head to the side you rest your head on his. Tommy’s body is warm against yours and you enjoy the silence of the moment. “Tommy,” you say finally, this time Tommy looks up at you. Relieved you smile. “We’ll do it together alright? Whatever happens, we’ll look after each other.”

 

In his old bedroom, Tommy holds you close, dancing. There’s no music and no space, but he doesn’t care, he has you in his arms and, for the moment at least, you were safe. “We need to talk about some things,” he begins.

You shake your head and pull him closer. “Not tonight, please.” You sigh just wanting the quiet and release of being close with Tommy without interruption, knowing he needed it too.

“We have to, some things are going to happen tomorrow, things that can’t be avoided,” his jaw twitches and he trails off.

You feel the fatigue of the past month pulling down on you, exhausted by the plans and secrets and the constant need to be alert. Then it occurs to you that maybe Tommy wants to talk about whatever is playing on his mind. “Alright.”  

“The Golds are going to want more than the money we’re giving them for the men.” Tommy begins, still moving with you around the tiny improvised dance floor, his thumb caressing the small of your back.

“Mm,” you hum, it’s not a surprise, people thought the Shelby’s were in trouble, and so the sharks were circling.

“His boy, Bonnie, is a boxer. He wants to go professional but the Gold’s don’t have the money, or the contacts, so they want us to promote him. They want Bonnie to go up against Alfie’s top welterweight fighter.”

“Right, so what’s the problem?”

Tommy sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “Our people, the Gypsy’s, they have a certain way of doing things, it’s important to them that we take Bonnie on, so they are going to ask for something else first, something too big, something we will refuse so when they ask for the smaller thing it seems minor in comparison.”

“What are they going to ask for?”

“To buy Charlie’s Yard.”

“But if they can’t afford to promote Bonnie how will they afford the yard?” You stop moving, stepping back a little to look at Tommy.

“Doesn’t matter. They know I’ll tell them it’s not for sale and they’ll insist and then I’ll suggest we make a wager, flip of the coin.” Tommy describes the transaction with the boredom of someone who’s played this game before. “What’s important is that they can’t know that we know, what their goal is. They can’t know how much we know about them and their plans.” Tommy explains you nod. “So we need to ask him to wager something valuable against the yard. Something precious. Something he will have no choice but to refuse, something he will refuse immediately and without hesitation.” Tommy holds your eye his tone sincere and insistent. He brings his hands to your face, caressing your cheeks with his thumbs. He watches you closely, his own expression pained. Nervously you nod and wait for him to continue. “I need you to know I would never suggest this if I didn’t know that he’ll refuse. He will refuse.” Tommy is insistent.

“His daughter,” You realise, stumbling backwards with the shock of it.

Tommy’s hands come to your shoulders, stopping you from falling. “Yes.” He agrees flatly, holding your eye. He steps closer, speaking slowly and quietly, caressing your shoulders with his palms. “I’ll ask him to wager his eldest daughter, Esmeralda. I will tell him if he loses I will have sex with her.” His voice is even and factual, but his eyes are filled with emotion.

“How sure are you he will refuse?” You ask, trying to focus on what Tommy’s telling you.

“Very,” Tommy assures you. “She’s promised to the son of the head of another family. They don't want her to have been in Shelby hands.”

You can feel panic rising in you. “If he doesn’t refuse and he loses what’s your plan?” You ask, realising, for perhaps the first time, you need Tommy to have a plan. Because you can’t think, can’t see a way out that doesn’t involve you shooting Gold if he offers his daughter as the stake in a game she has no way of winning.

“In the highly unlikely event, he takes the wager and loses,” Tommy speaks slowly emphasising the words, holding your face to keep you focused, stopping you from spiralling. He pauses for a moment waiting until you are focused on him before speaking again. “I’ll tell him it will have to wait until after the Mafia business is done. By the time all of this is done, nothing wagered tomorrow will matter. Bonnie will have had his fight and no one will care.”

“Promise me you won’t do that to her, you won’t hurt her, no matter what.” You ask, voice tight and wavering.

“I promise. I won’t hurt her. No one will touch her.” Tommy promises.

In your heart you know it’s true and your eyes close as you hear the words, tears sliding onto your cheeks. He moves closer, wrapping his arms around you, bundling you up so your arms are pressed between your chests. “I would never go through with it.” He assures you, stroking your hair.

 You breathe deeply, the familiar comforting scent of Tommy flowing over you. You remember the first time you met him in his office. You desperate and half mad with fear. Tommy, you recognise now, was desperate and half-mad too, although for him it was grief. Both of you trying to survive in a world that seemed determined to grind you out.

Tommy begins to sway softly, reaching between you and taking your hands in his. “I need you.” He says, lips brushing over your knuckles as he holds your eye.

“I need you.” You reply, pressing your brow to his.

“Together?” Tommy asks, eyes searching yours.

“Together.” You promise.

 

Tommy’s light touch wakes you. His fingers brushing through your hair, tracing over the landmarks of your face, enjoying the soft skin of your shoulder. It’s still dark when you wake, you can tell Tommy’s sitting up smoking, his face illuminated by the glow of the tip as he inhales. Through a gap in the curtain, you can see the sky is just starting to lighten. Not ready to speak yet you rub your hand over his hip in greeting.

“Morning love.” He says, voice deeper in the early morning.

“Mm,” you agree, shuffling over so you can snuggle up to him, your face resting next to your hand on his chest, his arm draped over your shoulders.

Tommy kisses the top of your head. “Sleep well?”

“Mmhmm,” you agree.

Despite fatigue and the emotion of the day, or maybe because of it, you and Tommy had remained holding each other and dancing until you had shivered with cold and Tommy had taken you to bed. You’d made love for hours, connection rather than pleasure, the goal. You’d fallen asleep held by Tommy and you felt like you’d slept for days.

“You?” You ask, stealing his cigarette and taking a drag. 

You just catch the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he answers. “Yeah.”

“What time is it?”

“Early.”

“Good.” You say shuffling up onto your knees before leaning in and kissing his neck.

“Mmm,” Tommy agrees, lifting your chin with his finger and turning his torso so he can kiss your mouth.

From your kneeling position, it’s easy to slide across and straddle Tommy’s thighs, the bedding pooling around your ass. Tommy grinds his cigarette out in the ashtray on the nightstand. The corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiles at you, taking your face in his hands and drawing you in for a kiss. “Again?” He asks playfully, raising an eyebrow at you.

“Well, only if you’ve recovered.” You tease rubbing your hands over his chest. Tommy’s fingers dig into your ass as he drags your hips to his. “Fuck.” You hiss as his cock, hard and ready presses against you.

Tommy smirks, his hand gliding smoothly up your naked back and into your hair. He tugs gently as he pulls you in to kiss him again.  You can feel yourself getting wet and begin rolling your hips, spreading slickness along the length of Tommy’s shaft. You groan in unison.  Pulling you up so your hips are pressed against his chest he kisses your breasts, drawing circles around your nipples with his tongue before sucking them into his mouth.

You grab the metal bar of the headboard to support yourself, your other hand caressing Tommy’s shoulders and neck. Palm gliding over the shorn velvet of the back of his head before your fingers twist in the longer strands on top.

Tommy’s hands splay over your back, seemingly everywhere at once as he drags his tongue up between your breasts and nips at your throat. The sensation arches your back and you let go of the headboard, your arms falling around Tommy’s shoulders. His hands come to your hips, guiding them down, bringing your faces level. His mouth capturing your whimper as he enters you and turning it into a groan deep in his chest. You curl in on yourself, the pleasure almost too much, your fingers digging into Tommy’s sides and your forehead pressed into the corner of his neck.

“Look at me,” Tommy insists, holding your hips still and stopping the motion of his own. He watches you as you lift your head and open your eyes, his thumb brushing over your cheek, fingers guiding your hair from your face and tucking it behind your ear. Slowly you begin to move together, finding your rhythm. The tension within you begins to build again, breathing becoming more erratic as you both scramble to hold each other closer.  Tommy’s lips dance over your neck, his hot breath humid against your skin, you shiver. “You cold love?” Tommy asks.

“A little, I’m fine.” You assure him, your body making a liar of you as you shiver again.

Tommy adjusts himself, turning you and laying you down on the bed. Kneeling between your legs he reaches behind him and pulls the covers up his back before stretching his arms up and holding them over his head. He falls on top of you completely burying you both. You can’t help but laugh as he pushes himself up, pinning the covers above your head and hovering over you.

In the dark you wiggle beneath him, rubbing your leg up over his hip and pressing your heel into his ass, “Tommy, please.” He nods, reaching down between you to guide himself. Your toes curl and you gasp as he reaches the top of his stroke.

His gaze softens as he leans down and kisses you, “together,” he reminds you.

Wrapping your legs around his waist you pull him against you. Tommy releases the covers as his hands caress your thighs on their way to tilt your hips. He withdraws nearly completely before he presses into you again, and you cry out in pleasure. You can feel the heat in your belly building as Tommy fucks you slowly. Your fingers dig into the back of his neck as he pumps harder, faster. You watch as he bites his bottom lip with pleasure before you bring his face to yours. You kiss him briefly between breaths. “Together.”

Tommy’s eyes widen and he murmurs softly in Romani, pressing his brow to yours as you watch each other. “Together.” He agrees as your back arches as you feel the first explosion of warmth in your belly. Your fingers claw at Tommy’s back as his thrusts increases. Biting your lip, you hold on until his head falls back and he cries out. In seconds you follow. Together you climax, each lost in the other as you do.

 

The curtain has a rose coloured glow before either of you feels the need to pay attention to anything than the other. Eventually, Tommy sits up against the headboard, lighting a cigarette and pulling you up against him.

“We should get moving soon.” You say stealing the cigarette from Tommy’s fingers. “You should be there when Charlie wakes up, spend some time with him.”  

“There’s a lawyer coming this morning to sign some paperwork.” Tommy begins.

“Can’t you see Charlie before?” You don’t mean it but there’s rebuke in your tone. “It can’t be any later than seven now, how early is he coming?” You try again.

Tommy smiles and shakes his head. “Will you listen for a moment, please? This is important.”

You nod chastised and rub your hand over his chest, “Sorry.”

Tommy simply nods and continues. “I’m going to have him change my will.”

“We have a plan, it’s going to be alright.” You interrupt him.

Tommy holds his hand up to stop you, “But just in case, I wanted to ask you if you would be Charlie’s guardian.” You’re so shocked you sit bolt upright, drawing the covers up to your chest but can’t find any words. Tommy carries on. “You’ll be in charge of the house until he’s of age and then there is provision for you to get a place of your own if you wish. The money will be held in trust for Charlie but household expenses will be drawn from it and you will receive a monthly allowance for yourself.”

“But, surely Grace’s family?”

“No,” Tommy says flatly.

“Polly, Ada, Arthur?” You stammer.

“They have families of their own and they never liked Grace. You know what it is to lose your mother young. You won’t let him forget her.”

“But,”

“You always put him first. Always.” Tommy cuts you off. “You make sure I put him first.”

“He’s important.”

“And that’s why I want it to be you. He loves you.”

You shake your head. Tommy kisses his teeth in frustration “Do you love him?” He asks bluntly.

“Yes, of course.”

“That’s all he needs. The rest you’ll work out as you go.”

You take a deep breath trying to work out how to respond. Of course, you loved the sweet boy who played with his cars on your bedspread when he was younger and still squealed with delight whenever you came to visit. “You can’t just make a snap decision like this. It’s Charlie’s future.”

“It’s not a snap decision. I’ve talked to Pol and she agrees.” Tommy takes your face in his hands, “I want you to be part of Charlie’s future, part of my future. When I said I need you, I didn’t just mean with business. When I said we would do this together, I didn’t just mean Changretta and the Mafia. I want us to be together, all of it. The three of us. But with all this shit going on, we can only deal with one bit at a time. And right now that bit is you being there for Charlie if I’m gone.” Tommy stops breathing hard. “Please, it’s important to me. Will you do it?”

Your eyes meet Tommy's and all your worries disappear. Taking a deep breath you nod “Yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know he takes her face in his hands a lot. But he does! It's his thing. So sorry to anyone that annoyed. 
> 
> I welcome feedback, reviews and constructive criticism of my work (including spelling and grammatical errors). If you would prefer to speak to me in private feel free to contact me via my Tumblr @twistedrunes. I also wholeheartedly support further transformations of my work, recordings of podfics and/or translations - please refer to the permissions in my profile for more detail.


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